Chloe Flaherty (2) was born with craniosynostosis, and after an unsuccessful operation she is now blind and permanently brain damaged.

She has received hospital care for more than a year, but her parents, Patrick Flaherty (29) and Samantha Harte (26), from Ballybane in Galway, desperately want to bring her home.

Experts compare Chloe's life to imprisonment, "although in a prison you're less likely to get an infection".

But red tape means that Galway City Council cannot accommodate the family through its social-housing scheme.

Since being re-admitted to University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) in April 2009, Chloe has remained under the supervision of nurses and doctors at a cost of €1,000 per night -- more than the price of buying the property the family want, which costs €310,000.

The family currently rents a semi-detached two-storey house in Ballybane, Co Galway. The home, however, is not fit for Chloe's needs -- the slightest bit of noise coming from the neighbouring house can wake her at night, meaning she has to be sedated back to sleep.

Now they have found a suitable home -- a quiet bungalow in Knocknacarra.